A Brighter Future for Honduras

1st October 2009
Victor Lepoutre

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Officials from the Organisation of American States (OAS) will arrive in Honduras tomorrow. This visit will aim at preparing the arrival of a selection of politicians from the organisation and their General Secretary, José Miguel Insulza.

John Biehl, the General Secretary’s assistant and head of the OAS office in Uruguay will join the mission one it has reached Honduras.

Insulza’s visit is planned for next Wednesday and aims at organising the negotiation between ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya and the de facto government.

Mr Biehl met Mr Zelaya yesterday for a three hours talk in the Brazilian embassy. Saying he was not supposed to unveil the themes of the discussions, he assured he found “a really good will of both parties to take part of this dialogue and make it real and honest” and said he was feeling optimistic.

However, he made things clear by saying neither Micheletti nor Zelaya will attend the upcoming OAS meetings.

Last 7th July, the presence of the two leaders in San José created a tended atmosphere and resulted in the failing to sign Oscar Arias’ accords.

“The great desire of the international community is that a strengthen democracy comes out of this discussions, with the freedom the parties will have to improve the San José accords” said Biehl to the press.

The ministers are searching for an agreement which would put an end to the crisis initiated by the deposition of Zelaya last 28th June.

On the other hand, interim president Roberto Micheletti said to Reuters press agency he will not follow any action against the Brazil embassy as long as Zelaya is not campaigning for presidential elections under their protection.

“They can stay there as long as they want” he said. “The only thing we need is a guarantee from Brazil that they will not allow him to launch a political campaign in their building”.

Speaking for the OAS, John Biehl added that the dialogue had to “include different political and social sectors in order to change the defeat in victory for the whole Honduran people”.